Francis beauchamp



N0. 6I5,52|. Patented Dec. 6, I898; F. BEAUCHAMP.

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING VIBRATION IN CYCLES, 8H}.-

(Application filed July 9, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Tm; NORRIS PETiRs co, PKOTOYLIYHO, wasamcmn, 0::

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS BEAUOHAMP, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS. F01 REDUCING VIBRATION IN CYCLES, 84 0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,521, dated December6, 1898.

Application filed July 9, 1898. Serial No. 685,566 (No model.)

T on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS BEAUOHAMP, engineer, a subject of the Queenof Great Brit ain, residing at Sunny Side, The Green, South Tottenham,London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for Beducing the Vibration inCycles and other Like Vehicles, (for which I have applied for a patentin Great Britain, No. 27,132, bearing date November 19, A. D. 1897,) ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to neutralize to a greater or less extentthe vibration, jarring, and jolting which cyclists and others experiencewhen riding or driving cycles or other vehicles and which are caused bythe cycle or other vehicle passing over irregularities, obstructions, orunevenness in the road or track, the vibrations being transmitted (inthe case of cycles) to the body of the rider chiefly through thesaddle-pillar and the handle-bar.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe the same as applied to thesaddle-pillar and handle-bar of abicycle by the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation, partly in section, of a saddle-pillar and down-tube of abicycle with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe piston and pistonrod shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation,partly in section, of a head-socket or steering-column of a bicycle withmy improvements applied thereto; and Fig.4 is a side elevation of theupper part of the head-socket or steering-column shown in Fig. 3.

Similar letters relate to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a is the saddlepillar, Z) the down and guidetube, and c the back fork, of a bicycle. Instead of the saddle-pillar abeing fitted adjustably into the upper end of the down-tube b, as isusually the case, I fit the same into the upper end of the telescopictube d, to which it is rigidly clamped by a bolt which passes throughthe holes (1 in the clamp d? in the manner that will be understood inconnection with bicycle fittings of this kind. The clamp 01 is connectedto the down-tubeb by the links e e, forming a kneejoint or flexiblecoupling, which, while allowing of free up-and-down movement of thetelescopic tube d and saddle-pillar a, effectually prevents thetelescopic tube cl from turning inthe down-tube b. The telescopic tubecl is provided with an air-tight partition or stop at (1 toward itsupper end, and from its lower and open end is inserted the piston f withits hollow piston-rod f, as shown.

d is a guide-piece, which may be inserted in the end of the tube d afterthe piston f is in place. The piston f is preferably composed of upperand lower cup-leathe1'sf f held in place by a screw-nut as shown.

f is a spring similar to a clock-spring, which is inserted into thecup-leather f in a compressed state and allowed to expand when in place,thereby insuring close contact between the cup-leather and the innersurface of the telescopic tube d; The edge of the upper cup-leathery iscovered'with oil,as shown, which oil is preferably of a thick and moreor less viscous character. The lower end of the hollow piston-rod f isprovided with an extension-spindle g, which is capable of being adjustedlongitudinally in the hollow piston-rod f by means of the notches g,into any one of which the locking-pin g? engages when its handle 9 isturned into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2; but whenthe said handle is turned into the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 1 the spindle g may be withdrawn, a portion of the locking-pin gbeing cut away for that purpose. of the lowerend of theextension-spindle g is adapted to rest upon or bear against a stop orpartition I) in the down-tube b.

Supposing now that the saddle-pillar a, telescopic tube (1,, piston f,and the extension spindle g are all detached from the bicycle, the lowerlink 6' being attached to the downtube 1) and the upper link 6 to thetelescopic tube d, (the screw-pin 6 being removed,) the parts may be puttogether in the following manner: The telescopic tube is reversed andthe necessary quantity of oil is poured into it from its lower open end.The piston and rod are inserted as far beyond the air-hole d as theimprisoned air in the tube will allow.

The head 9 The guide-piece d is now placed on the rod f and fitted inplace in the end of the tube d. The locking-pin 9 with its collar, isnow placed onto the end of the piston-rod f. The handle 9 is turned intothe position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The extension-spindle isinserted until the required notch comes opposite the locking-pin 9 whichis then turned into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2.It will be understood that the adjustment of the extension-spindleregulates the amount of the air-space between the top surface of the oiland the partition (i when the telescopic tube d is in place, as shown inFig. 1, and by this means a cushion of air initially compressed to agreater or less extent is obtained, according to the weight of therider, the condition of the roads to be traveled, and othercircumstances. The telescopic tube 05, with its piston f, piston-rod f,and extension-spindle g, is now inserted in the down-tube b, the head gresting upon the partition or stop I), as shown, and the upper end ofthe telescopic tube d standing at a distance above the top of the down-tube, dependent upon the amount of projection of the extension-spindlefrom the lower end of the piston-rod f. Pressure is now put upon the topof the telescopic tube at until the holes in the free ends of the links6 ecoincide. The screw-pin e is then inserted and the parts are therebyheld together. It will be understood that the act of bringing the twolinks 8 and 6' together will have compressed the air above the piston fand the connecting together of the links 6 6 will prevent such air fromreexpanding. The imprisoned air will therefore form a more or lessyielding cushion between the frame of the machine and the saddlepillara, which latter is clamped in the upper open end of the telescopic tubeat in a similar manner to that in which it is usually clamped into theupper open end of the down-tube. I find that such compressedair cushionlasts for a considerable time; but when it is desired to renew the sameit is only necessary to remove the screw-pin e withdraw the telescopictube 0?, invert the same, so that the oil runs back to the partition orstop d and draw back the piston-rod f until the edge of the cup-leather6 passes the air-hole (1 when a fresh supply of air will enter and beimprisoned as soon as the piston f is forced back past the air-hole Theparts may now be returned to their places in the cycle and will be readyfor use again.

The application of my invention to the handle-bar of a bicycle isillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

h is the handle-bar, the stem h of which is clamped firmly in the top ofthe telescopic tube d, which latter is furnished with a clamp (1partition or stop d guide-piece d airhole 01 piston f, piston-rod f, andextensionspindle 9, similar to those described with reference to Figs. 1and 2/ The telescopic tube d, with its downwardly-projectingextensionspindle g, is inserted into the hollow steering-spindle i,which carries'at its lower end the front fork i, the head g of theextensionspindle g resting'on the stop or partition 2'", as shown. Thehollow steering-spindle t' is adapted to turn in ball-bearings j j inthe head-socket or steering-column It, and in order to allow a limitedup-and-down movement of the handle-bar h and yet insure that thesteering motion of such handle-bar shall be transmitted to the hollowsteering-spindle 2' the said handle-bar and the hollow steeringspindleare firmly connected together in the following'manner: On each of thetwo opposite sides of the clamp (P, on the top of the telescopic tube d,is a screwstud or pin e to which is fitted a pair of double links e e,somewhat after the manner of what are known as lazytongs. The lower endsof the links 6 are centered to lugs formed on eitherside of the sleeveZ, in the bottom of which is formed the race for the ball-bearingsj andwhich sleeve Zis locked in position on the hollow steering-spindle t' bymeans of the keeper-ring m, screwed on the upper part of the saidspindle 11. g It will now be understood that the handle-bar h beingconnected with the telescopic tube (1 by the lazy-tongs device 6 e thevibrations of the front wheel and frame of the cycle are intercepted andmore or less absorbed by the cushion of compressed air which is thusinterposed between the said handle-bar and the front wheel and frame ofthe cycle, while at the same time the handle-bar and the hollowsteering-spindle t' are so connected that they act as if in one piece sofar as regards the steering motion.

The handle-bar h, telescopic tube (1, and the other parts in connectiontherewith can be easily removed when it is required to recharge thetelescopic tube (1 with air or for other purposes by removing the twoscrewpins 6 and proceeding in the manner described with reference toFigs. 1 and 2.

Suitable stops are provided in connection with the links 6 e in Figs. 1,3, and tin order to prevent any two of the links from being drawn into astraight line under any circumstances.

In some cases instead of the links e e I employ a screw-pin fixed to anarm projecting from one of the parts to be connected together, which pinpasses freely through a hole in a similar arm on the other part to beconnected, the distance apart of such arms being regulated by a nut onthe screw-pin.

I claim In combination in a vehicle, the frame, the tube 01 having adiaphragm d therein below its upper end leaving a socket at said upperend above the diaphragm for receiving the part to be supported andleaving a pistonchamber below it, a clamp device at the upper end ofsaid socket, a. flexible connection bottom of the guide, substantiallyas debetween the said upper end and the frame to scribed. V to permitthe tube to have longitudinal move- In witness whereof I have hereuntoset my ment but to prevent its rotation, a piston in hand in presence oftwo witnesses.

5 the said tube having a rod extending through FRANCIS BEAUCHAMP.

the closed bottom of the tube, the guide for Vitnesses: the tube toslide in and the adjustable rod STEPHEN EDWARD LUNGON,

extending from the piston-rod to bear on the ALEXANDER EDWARD BECK.

